that the trial of your faith, which is much more precious than gold that is destroyed but proved by fire, may be found to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

to whom it was revealed that they ministered not to themselves but to us those things which have now been declared to you by those who preached to you the good news, with the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, into which the angels desire to look.

but as he that called you is holy be you also holy in all [your] conduct,

but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without a spot;

who was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but made manifest in these last times for you,

having been born again, not from destructible seed but from indestructible, through the word of God which lives and endures.

but the word of the Lord continues forever. And this is the word preached to you.

To whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed by men but approved by God, elect, precious,

To you therefore who believe he is precious; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the head of a corner

But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should declare the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his glorious light;

who formerly were not a people, but now are a people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

as free, and not using freedom for a cloak of vice, but as servants of God.

Let servants be subject with all fear to masters, not only to the good and gentle but also to the perverse.

For what glory is it if when you sin and are punished you bear it patiently? But if you do well and suffer and bear it patiently, [this deserves thanks], for it is acceptable to God.

who being reviled reviled not, suffering threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously,

For you were like lost sheep, but are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

but let the hidden man of the heart be adorned with the imperishable [ornaments] of a meek and quiet spirit, which are of great price before God.

not returning evil for evil or railing for railing, but on the contrary blessing [your enemies], because to this you are called, that you may inherit blessing.

for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

But even if you suffer on account of righteousness, you are blessed. But fear not with their fear, neither be troubled;

and sanctify the anointed Lord in your hearts, and be always ready with a defense to every one that asks you a reason for the hope that is in you; but with meekness and fear,

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might lead us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

The archetype of which, baptism, also now saves us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience in God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

that you may no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh according to the desires of men, but according to the will of God.

And for this cause was the gospel preached also to the dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the Spirit.

But the end of all things is at hand. Be sober therefore, and watch in prayers;

but as you partake of the sufferings of Christ rejoice, that you may also rejoice exulting at the revelation of his glory.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or as a meddler in other men's affairs;

but as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, let him glorify God on this account.

feed the flock of God which is among you, not by constraint but willingly, not for base gain but of a ready mind,

not as having a lordship over God's inheritance but being examples to the flock;

Let the younger in like manner be subject to the elder, and do you all be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.